Inter-Ministerial Meeting Addresses Crop Residue Burning Management

New Delhi: An Inter-Ministerial Meeting aimed at tackling the critical issue of crop residue burning was convened today, co-chaired by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav. The meeting brought together ministers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the Government of NCT of Delhi, along with senior officials from various state governments and central agencies.

During the meeting, state ministers reported on the proactive measures being implemented to prevent paddy stubble burning and support farmers in managing crop residues sustainably. Notably, the Haryana government shared several incentives aimed at encouraging farmers to adopt eco-friendly practices. These include a ₹1,000 per acre incentive for managing crop residue, an additional ₹500 per metric ton for areas identified for a 2G ethanol plant, and a declared common rate of ₹2,500 per metric ton for paddy straw.

The meeting revealed positive outcomes, with incidents of burning reported to be 35% lower in Punjab and 21% lower in Haryana compared to the same period last year. The states were urged to strategically plan and mobilize resources to address potential hotspots where burning incidents may occur in the future.

The Government of India is actively supporting states through the Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Crop Residue Management, which has allocated ₹600 crore for this initiative. So far, ₹275 crore has been released to address air pollution caused by stubble burning in Delhi and the National Capital Region. The scheme promotes the use of in-situ and ex-situ management machines, financial assistance for cooperative societies and farmers, and mass awareness campaigns through various agricultural institutions.

To facilitate efficient management of paddy straw, the meeting emphasized the importance of bio-decomposers and the establishment of techno-commercial projects for the paddy straw supply chain. The government offers financial assistance of 65% for machinery costing up to ₹1.5 crore, aiming to create a robust supply chain for biomass power generation and biofuels.

Union Ministers Chouhan and Yadav commended the state governments for their efforts in reducing cases of stubble burning and encouraged them to pursue a “mission zero burning.” They stressed the need for comprehensive action plans, effective utilization of over 300,000 machines already supplied, and extensive awareness campaigns to engage farmers.

With pollution levels rising due to the burning of agricultural waste, particularly in Delhi, the ministers called for collaborative, mission-mode efforts at the state level to promote the utilization of paddy straw within farms. If implemented holistically, these actions are expected to significantly control stubble burning and mitigate its adverse effects on health and the environment.